This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-294252, filed Oct. 15, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus having a time measuring function capable of measuring an arbitrary time.
An ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus is a diagnostic apparatus for irradiating a desired region in an object (patient) with an ultrasonic wave and obtaining a tomographic image of a soft tissue on the basis of a reflected wave from the inside of the object. The physical quantity handled by this ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus is ultrasonic waves. Owing to this characteristic feature, this apparatus is safer than other medical diagnostic equipment, and has various characteristic features in imaging forms and display forms.
In diagnosis by this ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus, it is important in some case to grasp a predetermined elapsed time. A diagnostic method using an ultrasonic contrast medium will be described below as an example of this case.
The diagnostic method using an ultrasonic contrast medium aims to enhance the reflection of ultrasonic waves, make ultrasonic images clearer, and improve the diagnosis ability by administering a contrast medium such as bubbles having an acoustic impedance different from that of blood into a vein or the like in an object. In imaging an ultrasonic image by using this contrast medium, it is important to grasp an elapsed time, e.g., the time interval between the instant at which the contrast medium is administered and the instant at which the contrast medium flows into a desired object to be imaged. In a prior art, operation is performed while an administration start time or an elapsed time from the start of administration is grasped by using a date display 36 provided on the monitor of the ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus shown in FIG. 1 or an external timepiece prepared separately.
In a method of imaging an object to be displayed and checking its function over time by applying a stress caused by a drug as well, similar time grasping operation is performed.
As described above, when an elapsed time is to be graphed by using a timepiece provided for the apparatus or an external timepiece in imaging operation for an ultrasonic image, in which a predetermined elapsed time must be graphed, an administration time and imaging time must always be grasped. This imposes a large load on the operator. When the external timepiece is to be used, in particular, time information must be stored independently of image information obtained by the above imaging method, resulting in a considerable deterioration in operability.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide an ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus which can easily grasp an elapsed time in ultrasonic image diagnosis in which a predetermined elapsed time needs to be grasped. This apparatus has the following characteristic features.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising means for generating an ultrasonic image by scanning the inside of an object with an ultrasonic wave, and a stopwatch for measuring an arbitrary time in ultrasonic diagnosis.
According to the present invention associated with the first aspect, since an arbitrary elapsed time can be measured in ultrasonic diagnosis, the cumbersome operation of separately calculating an elapsed time can be omitted, and the operability can be improved.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising means for generating an ultrasonic image by scanning the inside of an object with an ultrasonic wave, means for obtaining an elapsed time from a predetermined time or generating information from which the elapsed time can be derived, and means for linking the elapsed time or the information from which the elapsed time can be derived to the ultrasonic image.
According to the present invention associated with the second aspect, since an ultrasonic image and an elapsed time or information from which the elapsed time can be derived can be simultaneously displayed, an observer can easily grasp the elapsed time and the like. This makes it possible to omit the cumbersome operation of separately calculating an elapsed time and improve the operability.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising means for generating an ultrasonic image by scanning the inside of an object with an ultrasonic wave, means for obtaining an elapsed time from a predetermined time or generating information from which the elapsed time can be derived, and means for linking the elapsed time or the information from which the elapsed time can be derived to function information of the object.
According to the present invention associated with the third aspect, since the elapsed time or the information from which the elapsed time can be derived can be linked to the function information of the object, the observer can easily grasp the elapsed time and the like. This makes it possible to omit the cumbersome operation of separately calculating an elapsed time and improve the operability.
The following are the preferred embodiments of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.
(1) In the ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus according to the second or third aspect, the predetermined time is preferably during administration of an ultrasonic contrast medium. The predetermined time if may be during input of the information about the object. Moreover, in the ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus according to the second or third aspect, when the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus obtains information associated with a new object, the means for obtaining the elapsed time or the generating information starts, after resets, to obtain a new elapsed time from a predetermined time point or new generating information from which the new elapsed time can be derived.
According to this arrangement, the observer can easily grasp an elapsed time from contrast medium administration. If, for example, the information about the object is a patient ID, an elapsed time of diagnosis on a specific patient can be easily grasped. In addition, time measurement is reset every time a patient ID is input. This can prevent operation errors.
(2) It is preferable that the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second aspect further comprise display means for simultaneously displaying the linked elapsed time or the linked information from which the elapsed time can be derived and the ultrasonic image or the function information of the object.
According to this arrangement, since an ultrasonic image or the function information of the object and an elapsed time from the point of time at which an ultrasonic contrast medium is administered or information from which the elapsed time can be derived can be simultaneously displayed, the observer can easily grasp the elapsed time and the time. This makes it possible to omit the cumbersome operation of separately calculating an elapsed time and improve the operability.
(3) It is preferable that the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second aspect further comprise means for storing the linked elapsed time or the linked information from which the elapsed time can be derived and the ultrasonic image or the function information of the object in correspondence with each other. This apparatus may further comprise means for storing an image obtained by synthesizing the ultrasonic image and the function information of the object into one frame.
According to arrangement, since an ultrasonic image or the function information of the object and an elapsed time can be stored while they are linked to each other, the observer can easily grasp an elapsed time even when, for example, an ultrasonic image is reconstructed. This makes it possible to omit the cumbersome operation of separately calculating an elapsed time and improve the operability.
(4) The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second aspect may further comprise means for synchronizing control associated with a start, pause, and stop of measurement of the elapsed time or the information from which the elapsed time can be derived with control associated with imaging or storage of an ultrasonic image.
According to this arrangement, since control associated with the start, pause, and stop of time measurement can be synchronized with control associated with imaging or storage of an ultrasonic image, the operation associated with time measurement can further simplified. This improves the operability.
(5) The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second aspect may further comprise means for synchronizing control associated with a start, pause, and stop of measurement of the elapsed time or the information from which the elapsed time can be derived with control associated with an external device.
According to this arrangement, since control associated with the start, pause, and stop of time measurement is synchronized with control for an external device, the operation associated with time measurement can be further simplified. This improves the operability.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.